Contenders for Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 list must demonstrate excellent quality, good availability, fair pricing, and a crucial, undefinable quality we call “x-factor.” And in 2019, one whiskey stood above all others in hitting every mark with power and poise. Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbor in Lynchburg, George Dickel proves itself every bit the equal with this bottled in bond Tennessee whiskey. Distilled in the fall of 2005 and bottled in early 2019 by Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. general manager and distiller Nicole Austin, this whiskey—the Whisky of the Year in the 2019 Top 20—offers unparalleled value and delicious flavor.